‘Buckle up’: Who will get the last laugh in the pool?

With bragging rights on the line, Matty Johns and James Magnussen break down the penultimate final night of swimming, the strange individual medley, success on the clay and more.

As the chance for bragging rights in the pool comes down to the final night of swimming in Paris for Australia and the USA, James ‘Missile’ Magnussen breaks down the penultimate night of the program and has labelled the medley “farcical.”

“I would call it the egg and spoon race of the Olympic Games,” Magnussen said on the Matty and the Missile podcast in Paris.

“Kaylee McKeown won the gold medal in the 100m backstroke, she comes up against Ryan Murphy who won bronze in the men’s 100m backstroke, there’s about a 15m difference.

“On their own they’re amazing products, I don’t know why we want to compare male athletes and female athletes.

“The race itself just ends up a jungle.”

Both the Missile and Matty Johns questioned if McKeown lining up for the medley was in her best interest and jeopardised her individual chances.

“It’s probably another swim that Kaylee McKeown doesn’t need,” Johns said.

Magnussen added, “I just wonder how good could Kaylee be at that 100m backstroke if she specialised in time.”

“This is the first time she’s made the final of the 200m IM at a big meet, she looked tired out there in lane one, she has been quick enough to win that event, but what a week from Kaylee, she’s a tough racer.

“It’s a big week and she’s up again tomorrow night in the medley relay.”

Kaylee McKeown’s packed Paris schedule included the mixed medley. Picture: Adam Head

Out to a hot start in the pool, the Aussie swimmers have had American fans confused over the strength of the green and gold. With the rivalry coming down to the final night of the swim program in Paris.

“It comes down to the last two 4x100m IM relays, if America wins one or both they top us on the medal tally, if we win one or both, we top America so buckle up for that,” Magnussen said.

A strength in the pool highlighted by what the Missile is calling the best swim Australia has ever produced.

“You have to take your hat off to people like Kaylee, Ariarne, Mollie, we’ve seen them all five, six, seven times this week already.

“They’re so mentally tough these girls, I think sometimes they’re underappreciated. We’ll look back in 20 years time, I’ll be telling my grandkids I was there to witness Kaylee McKeown, Ariarne Titmus, and Mollie O’Callaghan.

“In 2000, all we spoke about was Thorpe, Hackett, Susie O’Neill, we are now in the era of O’Callaghan, McKeown and Titmus, and it’ll be remembered throughout history but we really need to appreciate it here and now.”

Matthew Ebden and John Peers win tennis gold in Paris. Picture: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

From the pool to the clay, the Aussies surprised the tennis world with the incredible doubles gold medal win at Roland-Garros. But it was the young daughter of John Peers who stole the show.

“It was a dog fight, it was pretty epic,” journalist Jessica O’Halloran said.

“This game was completely decided by tie breakers, it was heart in the mouth stuff.

“Ally, the gorgeous daughter of John Peers, she’s seven years of age, she’s standing there the whole time crossing her fingers in the final tie break.

“Her dad has promised her if he wins a medal, then she can take it to show and tell.”

Plus the men’s water polo incredible win, Brent Read breaks down the day of athletics, the security issue with a reigning world champion, Olli Hoare’s online haters and Peter Badel provides a boxing scandal update, including the IBA financial inferno, and more. Listen now.

“I thought there would be boos for Khalif when she came out to the ring, I think the tide is turning, there are people that feel sorry for her and as she was walking to the ring, there were cheers,” Badel said.

“It’s very easy to lose the human side,” Johns added.

Brought to you by

Originally published as ‘Buckle up’: Who will get the last laugh in the pool?